Design
The shield is designed in a similar fashion to the Crimea Shield and was struck in sheet metal or zinc and treated with a bronzed wash. It features a German eagle with outstretched wings clutching a laurel wreath with a swastika. On each side the wreath are the numbers 19 and 43. Directly below the eagle is written KUBAN in block capital letters. Below this name is a stylized map of the Kuban region, with a line representing the defensive line that the men fought to preserve with the location of the bridgeheads - KRYMSKAJA, LAGUNEN, and NOWOROSSIJSK.
The shield was worn on the upper left sleeve of the tunic. A back plate, which held in place a piece of cloth matching the recipients’ branch of service, was applied to the shield:
- Green for Heer (army)
- Blue for Luftwaffe (air force)
- Black for Panzer units (armoured units)
Criteria for award
The criteria for award of the shield to military personnel:
- Served in the bridgehead for 60 days; or
- Been wounded while defending the bridgehead; or
- Had been engaged in a single major operation at the bridgehead